After switching the team track, the local runs down to the west end to switch the siding. Right now I use this siding for cars bound for Clarksville and the junction yard while construction of that area is ongoing. When the branch is completed this siding will be used for overflow pellet hoppers. After switching the siding, we do the air test and leave town. A while later we are back in Van Buren where we are routed down the 4 rail to tie down our train. You might notice the yard switcher is waiting to switch our train. When we left this morning it was at the yard office with grain hoppers for the Farmland elevator (first photo). While we were on the road the yard crew was busy switching Farmland, the TOFC ramp and building the VL (Van Buren - North Little Rock) train. Now that our local is in, he can finish building VL. I'll cover the yard crew in a later post. I hope you enjoyed this photo essay of just one of the trains that run on the Van Buren Sub. Right now the Spadra turn is the most fun to operate. To do the job just outlined above takes just under an hour in real time (50 + minutes). Next up the yard crew.
Wolfgang I agree. I had the good fortune when I got back in the hobby many years ago of being part of an operating crew on a G gauge railroad that featured timetable passenger trains and way freight operation. It was some of the most fun I had at the time. I also remember some of the old heads in MR like Bruce Chubb and the Sunset Valley featuring way freight operation. Allen and Tony's V&O and AM were an inspiration. However, I have a long way to go. I need to get the branch line laid, add a few more engines and at least double the amount of rolling stock.
Not at all. You can start operatlion when you have some track laid. With three persons you can operate, one dispatcher and a two men crew for the local. :angel: If you have a yard, two people more are busy. Wolfgang
Right now I could possibly keep 4-5 people busy with trains from staging, the local and yard job. Also I can do it all by myself if I choose to.
Thanks for the feed back. This train is fun to operate so I thought while I was running the turn, I would also photograph it as it happens in real time. I know Wolfgang's Westport Terminal is built for operation, but I don't see many other layouts that allow for "prototype" operations. That's not a knock on those layouts. Maybe the builders never were exposed to operations on a model railroad. Hopefully by posting what some of the trains actually do on my railroad, others will find a way to add another layer of fun on their layouts. Admittedly I have added industries that didn't exist on the prototype (but could have) just to add more work for the locals because those are the trains I enjoy running the most. Stay tuned for more on the yard job while the Spadra turn was out on the road.
Excellent tour! Well put together and highly informational. It is posts like these that have converted me from a "continuous running only" model railroder to a "realistic operations" one (not that I won't be doing plenty of the former). I am currently laying out industries on the lower level of my SAL layout and planning for local operations. Your tour is just the type of information I have been looking for to make me feel I am going about things in a way that will yield the results I am looking for. Thanks for posting and looking forward to future insight into your ops! Jamie
Mopman, I too was exposed to a prototype operational layout (it also had continuous loop for display purposes) back when I lived in Great Falls, Montana. I was a member of the club there for many years. It was a real gas to operate with way bills for every car, time tables, crew calls, etc... I think this is why I enjoyed your Spadra Turn post so much. One day... I will have space to build a layout. Until then, I am happy to try to get into local clubs to have a place to operate. Can't wait to see what the yard guys were up to while the Spadra Turn was out!
I have been designing my hopefully someday to be built Northstar division based on planned operations in a simular manner that you have designed your pike. I have done this at the expense of lush scenic sections of the layout (main level) to allow the construction of a modest rail yard. However, the rail yard was a vital part of my layout operations design. Local trains and turns depart and arrive from the yard and trains to and from staging (off layout cities) interchange and/or terminate at the yard. Of course I will still have some sections with mainly just scenery but these are limited to allow both trackwork and industry to generate traffic for operations. For my layout design, I planned for desired operations and then planned the layout within the allowable perimeters of space and budget.
Ok, as promised...the yard job. When we last saw the YJ, it was sitting at the yard office as the Spadra turn was leaving. We get ready to leave for the east end of Van Buren to switch the Farmland elevator. A few minutes later we start switching hoppers at Farmland After switching Farmland we pull the hoppers back to the yard and leave them on the east end of 3 rail. Then we pull the loaded pig flats from the TOFC ramp and spot them on the west end of 3 rail. 2 pigs that are on the 4 rail are then shoved to the TOFC ramp for unloading.
Then we head back to the west end of the yard to pull cars from the Frisco interchange These cars are then pulled to the east end of 3 rail. The hoppers are pulled and shoved down the 4 rail temporarly . The interchange cars are then shoved down the 3 rail and coupled to the pigs on the west end. This will be the head end of VL. The hoppers and other cars for VL are pulled from the 4 rail and coupled to the caboose on 2 rail and shoved to the west end. We pull forward and hold short of the yard office as the Spadra turn pulls into the yard.
The job then heads to the 4 rail, pulls the cab and sets it on the ladder, then pulls the cars for VL from the Spadra turn. These cars are also spotted on the 2 rail. We then go back and shove the cab to the caboose track on the west end. From there we head back to the east end and park our power on the ramp track next to VL's power and go to break. While the car knockers check the train a crew is called for VL. Edit:As an aside, the power used on the yard job is an r/c controlled unit. No track power required. The GP7 is a Athearn "wide body" dummy containing rechargeable li-poly batteries (11.7 volts) and the receiver. The GP35 is a "wide body" powered unit. It is controlled by a standard 27mhz r/c car transmitter. I get between 6-8 hours of operation on a single charge.
Cool...excellent info. I will be referring back to this thread as a reference when I start plotting the details of my ops. Jamie
Now that the VL (Van Buren-North Little Rock) is together, the power backs down the 3 rail and couples to the head end. While pumping up the air, a Directors special stops for a quick crew change. After the special clears the yard office, VL pulls the 3 rail to double over to the 2 rail Meanwhile out on the road, the special meets LK (North Little Rock-Kansas City) at Spadra.
After the special clears the west switch, the LK proceeds to Van Buren where it meets VL. After LK clears, VL is finally able to depart for North Little Rock. Hope you enjoy this little photo essay of some of the operations on the Van Buren sub.
Nice! Are those U-boats the Athearn "wide-body" models? Not knocking 'em, I have two Athearn U30Bs painted up in Frisco colors, and I'm real reluctant to get rid of 'em. I like that GP35-GP7 lashup- low-tech DCC Who needs Digitrax? LOL. Seriously, neat idea. Makes me wish I could turn the clock back to 1979-1980 so I could railfan Van Buren when MP and Frisco was in town.....sigh.....
Yes the 'boats are wide bodys. One of these days I'm going to set started detailing and painting the 9 units that are in need three of which are U-boats. Don't get rid of your boats, you can bring 'em down here and run. As to the R/C locos...I look at it as a replacement for DCC since power to the rails is not required. Did you read that? NO WIRING! And that to me is the future of loco control. And as technology allows batteries to be even smaller, you might be able to run r/c in N scale.
